One small cheap scene and my windows
have their shades. All before noon on
August 31, 2009. Hooray!!!!!!!
August 31, 2009
August 30, 2009
Soaking Up Rays Once Again
Clear blue skies all day.
Still waiting for my window shades to be
hung again. (promised for last Friday).
Have had enough of all the waiting.
Begun setting out belongings unseen
and unusable since the end of July.
Cat boys helping.....
Shade-hangers had their chance.
Now they will have to work around
and over.
September coming on Tuesday lifts
my spirits.
August 21, 2009
Cat Days Of August
Illustration from QUESTIONS (August Afternoon), by
Lee Bennett Hopkins, Harper Collins
Their favorite window perches removed
for renovations. Strange workmen coming
and going, drilling, nailing and spackling.
Short term confinement to the windowless
bathroom where they are safe but not happy.
The Cat Boys world turned upside down.
And one more week to go. MEOW!!!
=^..^= =^..^=
August 17, 2009
We Have WINDOWS!!
C.Croll illustration (click to enlarge)
Long hard day for the Cat Boys.
Taxi rides to and fro.
TZ stayed under Mom's sofa all day,
Fred in the coat closet.
No food or water or litter box call.
Then home again to the great relief of
all concerned.
New Window Inspector Fred
(click to enlarge)
August 14, 2009
Avoiding Cat-astrophe
How sweet. (Until TZ's had enough and
goes for Fred's Aorta)
Replacing the surrounds to the heat/ AC unit
under the windows.
Had to fish the cat boys out from deep cover.
Safely, but not happily, ensconced together in the
bathroom until holes open to the sidewalk
37 floors below are filled once again.
Lunch break. Some treats might help.
Big mistake - big break out.
Second round of catch-the-cat.
If I were more fluent in cat lingo,
I could explain it all to them.
August 13, 2009
Hurry Up And Wait
Fred E. Cat sitting watch on Lookout Mountain
Thursday, August 13, 2009.
Six postponements.
One week and a day.
Blame faulty equipment.
Don't want anyone to get hurt.
Today, rain in Philadelphia.
Looks like this is going into
next week.
If I start finished art for the
book jacket, they will come
and replace my windows
as I dip my brush into color.
August 11, 2009
August 10, 2009
Picnic Al Fresco
click on photos to enlarge
Last Saturday a little bird carried this huge
bit of pretzel from the park across the street.
Passersby kept interrupting his enjoyment.
Each time he flew away until all was clear.
Finally returning with a friend.
Perhaps to stand guard.
August 9, 2009
Mountain Weekend
Cat boys stand guard over mountain
range of moved, stacked and tarped
apartment contents.
Every day a new hill to climb and explore.
The only ones having fun waiting for the
Godot/ Murphy Window replacement folks.
August 7, 2009
Tuesday? It Must Be Windows
The 4th and latest update-
Windows on Tuesday Aug. 11.
Annoyed? Who's annoyed? :-(
August 4, 2009
Murphy Calls
Illustration from QUESTIONS, by Lee Bennet Hopkins
Here I sit amongst my belongings piled high
around me. Waiting for the fates to finish
with their latest form of amusement.
Postponing my date with the window
replacement guys.
Yes, that which was originally scheduled for
Wed. Aug 4, then moved to Thurs. Aug 5 has
now gone on to Fri Aug. 6. I'm thinking next
Monday or Tuesday is probably more like it.
The problem, my dear Watson, seems to be
something lacking in the equipment on the
roof that handles and/or supports the sling
apparatus required by the men working on
the outside of the building. While I naturally
want these guys to be safe and secure as they
dangle 37 stories above the pavement, I would
also like this to be over within my lifetime,
preferably before my next birthday in May.
From past experiences, I know the only way
is to convince the Fates, who report directly
to Murphy, patron saint of all things out of
our control, that I don't care a fig about all
the mess and inconvenience. At which time,
they will move on to annoy whomever is next.
PS: Meanwhile, the cat boys are enjoying all
the new places to hide behind and under
tarp covered moved furniture and books.
August 2, 2009
Long Day's Journey
click on photo to enlarge
Orange nasturtiums reach through the
iron fence.
Nurtured by community gardeners.
Brightening my trudge home after a long
hot Saturday.
July 27, 2009
Temporary Turmoil
without permission of the artist
Beginning almost two weeks of deconstructing
my apartment. Including my studio. The big day,
August 5 (unless it rains).
Clearing a path for workmen. All in preparation
for replacement of all windows, frames and sash.
Tricky business. Transitioning from knowing
where everything is to I'll find it again when
this is all over.
When Mom went through this in her building
she called it"The Invasion Of The Body Snatchers".
Exactly!!
(Did I mention we are on the 37th floor?)
But then again, maybe a new window on the world
will be refreshing. ;-)
July 21, 2009
Bugged
click photo to enlarge
This morning's visitor, exquisite
June Bug beetle.
About 30mm. Huge.
All green/ gold iridescence.
Delicate antennae, coppery legs
and feet in motion.
Marching up the screen.
Then suddenly - off!
Channeling Maria Sibylla Merian.
Unexpected nature on the 37th floor.
July 20, 2009
Cat Training
3:30-4 AM, most mornings.
A little "Mew! - Just me, your sweet Fred."
"If you're awake, how about a belly rub?"
Marching round and round and round. Until
sensing the perfect spot.
Flops down, his 'tocks in my armpit, tail
in my face.
Perfect position.
For stroking belly, chest and chin.
Falling asleep to all the purring.
Freddie Cat has trained me well.
July 15, 2009
Dancing As Fast As I Can
Longing to blog...
While needing to meet a heavy deadline.
Haven't made the bed. Cats are lying
in it any way
Life as a hired pencil.
July 10, 2009
Roses Are Red...
(sometimes).
Violets are blue (OK, these are Pansies)
Pierre-Joseph Redouté
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, to you.
portrait by Francois Gerard in Musee des
Beaux Arts, Brussels
Born 250 years ago today in the Ardennes
town of St Hubert, Belgium.
Called the Rembrandt of Roses, the
Raphael of Flowers.
Today, reproductions of his work seem
to be almost everywhere. Decorating greeting cards,
items for the home, and walls in public venues.
Most know his work, but not much
about his life.
He came from a hardworking but humble
family of local artists. His father, his and his
artistic brothers' first teacher.
Eventually, he became flower painter to
Marie Antoinette then Empress Josephine
and taught the talented daughter of the
Duc de Orleans, who became Queen of Belgium.
Beginning research for my book, REDOUTÉ,
The ManWho Painted Flowers, I wrote a letter
to the Mayor of St Hubert asking if anyone
there knew about the artist and could help me.
The response, overwhelming.
The Mayor had passed my letter on to the Director of
the Museum, a Redoutè expert, collector, author
and respected town Pharmacist, M. Laurent Delcourt.
When I arrived in St Hubert, M. Delcourt
had arranged everything and everyone to help me.
Redouté's bust in St Hubert
Not only is Redouté the town hero,
his bust sits in front of the Hotel de Ville
(town hall).
There is a Redouté Museum on the Rue
Redouté across the street from where the
family's house once stood.
(Having been accidently flattened by an
American bomber aiming for German
headquarters across the rue, in WWII).
Today the former German headquarters
houses the Redouté Museum.
The town historian and my guide through
the town, the Abbey and how things were
in Redouté's time, was a descendent of
Redouté's Mother's family, Abbè Prosper
Chalon. An artist as well.
And this was just the beginning!
See my February 17, 2009 post for more pictures
July 8, 2009
Oh Brother
Four siblings. Two girls. Two boys.
Nowadays (believing old age starts
around 125) two middle aged women
and two middle aged men.
If one declares, "It is so!"
The others know you can take it to
the bank.
As the eldest, I thank my lucky stars.
CONGRATULATIONS! dear brother Ted.
Patently clear, a genius.
(So glad I never killed you when we
were little!) ;-)
July 4, 2009
Bird In Hand
Feeding birds in Washington Square with Mom
on July 3, 2009. Catty corner to Independence
Hall Park Philadelphia, PA.
Spread seeds. See who comes.
Sparrows, Finches show up first.
Noisy fledglings chirping,"Feed me, feed me!"
Then the Pigeons. Pecking up seeds like
feathered Hoovers.
click photo to enlarge
I like Pigeons. They seem to be the only birds that
come in different colored suits. Some Quaker plain.
Others sporting subtle to riotous patterns, light and
dark, brown, buff, rust, cream, white, taupe
blue grays. Some with military style wing stripes.
Red or orange eyes and all with red feet.
click photo to enlarge
Their soft coo-ing like cats purring.
I admire creatures that live in the city alongside
humans. I know about the mess they make.
(I think Humans leave much more.)
Two Pigeons were either particularly hungry
or brave or both. One two-tone gray with two
crippled feet, toes curled under. The second,
handsome, young, soft burgundy over dove
gray. Took turns taking peanuts from my hand.
What was he/ she thinking looking
at me through mercurochrome orange eyes?
(Same as cat boys at snack time?)
On left, crippled Pigeon on the ground, young handsome one on my hand.
July 3, 2009
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